May 18, 2011
I think my new pup is too small for being 8 weeks old, he seems more like 5 or 6. What are your thoughts?
Full Question:
Hello,My name is Gail and I purchased 'Establishing Pack Structure' from you recently. It was very helpful and I enjoyed it a lot.
I purchased the video to help be more prepared for a puppy I had purchased online. The puppy arrived Friday night and he seemed way too small to me. He weighs 8.7 pounds at 2 months. One web site. with a growth chart on German shepherds suggests a puppy should be on average and approximately 19.9 pounds at 2 months. This is a HUGE difference. I am thinking I was sold a 5 or 6 week old pup. He is tiny! I went back to the videos and photos sent by the seller and I swear it is not the same pup but I can't prove it. The sellers have guaranteed me in an email that the pup was born 3/5/08 and is indeed the same pup in the video.
What do you think?
Thanks!
Gail
Cindy's Answer:
Without seeing this pup and his littermates it’s impossible to know how old it is. Sometimes inadequate nutrition can stunt the growth a bit.
Some puppies are very small and make up the size when they get removed from the litter and the competition for food. I would say most of our 8 week old pups are between 12 and 17 pounds when they go to their new homes.
I will say that even my Malinois pups are not that small at 8 weeks, they are around 10-14 pounds.
I would have the pup looked over by a vet to see if he’s got parasites that may have kept him from growing to his potential, and see what the vets opinion on his age is. If he is not 8 weeks old, I would be furious that a “breeder” would send a pup to a new home so young, especially if the pup had to fly!
As a breeder myself, if I was sending a customer a much smaller than average pup I would let them know this ahead of time so they would know what to expect and would have a chance to decline the pup.
Let me know what you find out.
Cindy
Some puppies are very small and make up the size when they get removed from the litter and the competition for food. I would say most of our 8 week old pups are between 12 and 17 pounds when they go to their new homes.
I will say that even my Malinois pups are not that small at 8 weeks, they are around 10-14 pounds.
I would have the pup looked over by a vet to see if he’s got parasites that may have kept him from growing to his potential, and see what the vets opinion on his age is. If he is not 8 weeks old, I would be furious that a “breeder” would send a pup to a new home so young, especially if the pup had to fly!
As a breeder myself, if I was sending a customer a much smaller than average pup I would let them know this ahead of time so they would know what to expect and would have a chance to decline the pup.
Let me know what you find out.
Cindy
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